Air mask



Oct. 26, 1943. w. D. SULLIVAN 2,333,054

AIR MASK Filed Aug. 3, 1943 INVENT OR.

3- Fig.3. WilliamD. Sullivan Patented on. 26, 1943 UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICEG AIR MASK William D. Sullivan, Astoria, N. Y.

Application August 3, 1943,8erial No. 497,161

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in respirators for preventing the inhalation of noxious substances as fumes, dust, smoke and the like; and it relates more specifically to improvements in fume eliminators or air shields as disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,032,101.

The objects of my improvement are as follows:

First, the provision of a device of the character described which ejects the air" not only in a downward and outward direction as is the case with the device described in the U. S. Patent No. 2,032,101 but which ejects the air sideward as well as downward, thus forming a stronger, more uniform shield of air over the face and affording the same protection of the lower parts of the face (mouth and nose) as of the upper part of the face (eyes);

Second, the provision of a device of the character described which-in addition to the shield of air previously referred to-causes the radiation of streams of air in various directions from the device, so that dust and dirt particles flying, toward the device will be led away from the device before they can penetrate any part of the shield of air;

Third, the provision of a device of the, character described which does not obstruct vision, which facilitates breathing, prevents perspiration, and acts as an individual cooling system for the person wearing the device, since it leads constantly fresh air to the face and blows the air over the face as well as over a considerable portion of the wholebody;

Fourth, thefprovision of a device of the character described which prevents air emanating from the mouth or nose of a person using itfor instance when sneezing or coughing-from reaching an opposite person or object, so that this device can be used inoperating rooms or under any conditions which require absolute protection against germs or other microorganisms; Fifth, the provision of a device of the character described which can be worn for any length of time without causing any discomfort, which does not require the replacement of any parts that might become clogged or worn out, and which is comparatively simple and inexpensive.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawing whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawing."

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of the device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a detail shown in an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3'.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The base of the device is a preferably U-shaped facepiece I of sponge rubber or of any other soft material which can be placed tightly over the forehead and the cheeks or both sides of the face,

I leaving the ears free and leaving the eyes, nose,

mouth, and other parts of the face free. The face piece I can be secured to the head by means of straps or elastic bands 2 passing around the upper part of the head and by means of an elastic band 3 passing round the chin, or it can be secured to the head in any. other suitable manner. Head and face are indicated in Figs.

' 1 and 2 in dash-and-dotted lines.

ing device (valve not shown) to the usual air line 9, which, for instance connects a compressor to an air actuated tool such as a paint sprayer or the like (not shown);

The air channel or tube 6 is adapted to discharge air from above and from both sides over the face so as to form acomplete shield of air over the whole face and at the same time to provide for plenty of fresh air which can be inhaled through the nose or through the mouth or through both. For this purpose, the channel or tube 5 can be provided with slots or holes registering through the face piece I or through the shield piece 4 with sidewardly extending openings. I prefer, however, to connect several nozzles III to the tube or channel 6, as in the instance shown, and to provide the nozzles 10 with broad, slot-shaped orifices II. By afflxing the nozzles III at slightly different angles relative to the face piece I, it is possible to attain streams of air which extend one over the other thus forming a shield which consists of various 2 v layers of air. The fresh air emanating from thenczzles ill under adequate pressure will not only form a sumciently strong shield of air that prevents any fumes, dust and the like from. reaching the face: it will also afford an agreeable cooling of the face and of all parts of the body over which it extends. Moreover, the air streams will lead the exhaled air or the air and saliva particles expelled when coughing or sneezp ing, downward so that they cannot reach a person or object opposite the face of the wearer of the device.

The shield of air thus attained itself will strong enough to afford sufficient protection under any circumstances. However, I prefer to secure to the shield piece 4 or to the face piece I a thin transparent shield II, which is open at its lower end and which is in spaced relation to the face. This shield I2 is not absolutely necessary, but it gives a worker who is used to have actual shield before his face, a feeling of an increased safety.

In orderto prevent hard particles, such as A sand ejected from a grinder, or the like, from penetrating the shield of air previously referred to when the device is worn without a shield II, or in order to prevent the outer side of shield l2 from becoming dusty or stained, fans It are arranged at the. outer side of the shield piece 4. These fans ll, whirling the air around the device and causing the radiation of air as out- Y side air streams from the device in various di-- means, for instance by means of small electro motors, but it will be most practical to utilize the air passing through the device for actuating said fans I4. I prefer to carry out this feature of my invention in the manner shown in the drawing, particularly in the enlarged views of Figs..3 and 4, where it will be seen that each fan I4 is connected to or formed as a .unit with a small turbine wheel l6 actuated by air ema-- hating from tubes or nozzles II. The fans I4 and the turbine wheels l6 turn on shafts l8, each of which has a collar l9 at its front end and is carried by the tube II, to which its rear end 20 (Figs. 2 and 4) is secured by soldering or in any other suitable manner. The tubes, or nozzles l1 can be connected to the air tube or channel 6, or

a separate air tube or channel 5 can be provided for as in the instance shown.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification,

it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of'the device illustrated and in its operation may be 'made by-those skilled in the art without departing fron'i'the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1. An air mask-comprising a substantially U-- shaped face piece adapted to be placed tightly over the forehead and the cheeks and to leave the eyes, the nose and the mouth unobstructed; air channels within said face piece having slotted openings which are directed toward the face and through which.streams,of air can be blown over the face; fans attached to the outer side of said face piece which are driven by a part of the air passing through said channels and which are adapted to cause outside streams of air which radiate in various directions from said face piece; and means for connecting said air. channel to an air line; all substantially as set forth.

2. An air mask comprising a substantially U- sh'aped face piece of soft flexible material adapted to be placed tightly over the forehead and the cheeks and to leave the eyes, the nose and the mouth unobstructed; a shield piece of substantially the same shape as said face piece secured to the front side of said face piece; air channels within said shield piece having slotted openings which are directed toward the face and through which streams of air can be blown over the face; fans attached to the outer side of said shield piece which are driven by a part of the air passing through said channels and which are adapted to cause outside streams of air which radiate in various directions from said shield piece; and flexible means for connecting said air channels to an air line; substantially as described.

3. An air mask comprising a substantially U- shaped face piece of soft flexible material adapted 'to be placed tightly over the forehead and the. cheeks and to leave the eyes, the nose and the mouth unobstructed; a shield piece of substantially the same shape as said face piece secured to the front side of said face piece; airchannels within said shield piece; .nozzles connected to said air channels and adapted to blow streams of air over the face; a plurality of fans arranged in open recesses at the outer side of said shield piece, said fans being driven by small turbine wheels connected thereto and actuated by air emanating from branch lines of said air channels, and being adapted to cause the radiation of outside streams of air in various directions from said shield piece; and a flexible air hose connecting said channels to a pressure regulating valve and to a branch of the air line of a compressor; substantially as described.

- WILLIAM D. SULLIVAN. 

